‘Rahul disqualification to put in more steel in Cong’

Kolkata, March 26: Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Sunday said his party’s leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha would strengthen the Congress, helping its prospects in next year’s general election.

Describing the political landscape as an “undeclared emergency”, Mr Chidambaram said the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has made the Congress its “prime target”, wishing its elimination in order to more easily manage the regional parties.

However, he asserted that Congress would not be “eliminated” and regional parties would “rise and fight” the BJP.

“The country is already in an emergency-like situation. It is an undeclared emergency. One of the complaints during the emergency was that press

They think if they are able to eliminate the Congress party from the electoral battleground, the regional or state-specific parties will be easy targets. They are wrong on both counts. The Congress party cannot be eliminated.

freedom was snuffed out. Is it any different today? Journalists and the independence of the media are under numerous constraints today,” Mr Chidambaram said.

He claimed that the BJP’s “prime target” is the Congress.

“They think if they are able to eliminate the Congress party from the electoral battleground, the regional or state-specific parties will be easy targets. They are wrong on both counts. The Congress party cannot be eliminated. The regional or state-specific parties will rise and fight,” he said

He added that the developments of the last few days have put more steel in the Congress.

Asked about his advice to Mr Gandhi, the former finance minister said that he does not need his advice.

“He is brave and fearless. In the Bharat Jodo Yatra he demonstrated his grit and determination — qualities that many people were happy to discover in Mr Gandhi,” he added.

— P. Chidambaram, Congress leader